Homosexuality: The Church at a Crossroads

In recent years, homosexuality has become widely accepted in our culture. Jeff Colón joins us to talk about how the church is relating to this cultural shift.

Mike: Jeff Colon has joined me in the studio. Jeff, good to see again.

Jeff: Thanks, Mike. It's good to be here.

Mike: Jeff, you recently authored an article for our Ezine entitled "Homosexuality: The Church at a Crossroads." You began that article with a passage from Isaiah.

Jeff: Yeah, Mike. Let me read those verses out of Isaiah 5:20-21, "Whoa to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight." When I look out at what's happening in our nation today, these verses really bear witness to the stark reality of what's happening.

Mike: Well, talk a little bit about that Jeff because you really saw this from two different perspectives. Talk first about what you see on this issue of homosexuality in the culture itself.

Jeff: We see it everywhere - I believe today more than ever - just openly celebrating same-sex marriage and people coming out, almost glorying in those things that should be our shame. It's almost like a flood of evil has been unleashed. You can look at the news, the internet, and television sets nationwide that are just inundated with enduring images of gays and lesbians. If you even look at the political stage, same-sex marriage is pretty much dominating, many times, headlines and stories. Even a president of the United States, Barack Obama, is really for the first time backing the homosexual agenda.

Mike: One of the striking things to me about that is we wouldn't be surprised necessarily in the United States because of the worldliness that our country has been in for so long, but what's striking to me is that this movement is happening on a global scale and it seems as you said to be just a flood washing across the globe. The second point though that you pointed out is that you were more concerned about what you see in the church - talk about that.

Jeff: Yeah, we see that the church has not escaped this. Mainline denominations are changing their positions and now readily ordaining gay and lesbian pastors and leaders, enthusiastically performing same-sex marriages, and taking foundational truths of God's Word which have been in place for thousands of years and just sweeping them aside.

Mike: The title of this article was "Homosexuality: The Church at a Crossroads," but you really saw that the church had made a wrong turn a long time ago. Talk about some of the other issues that you see within the church that you felt like this issue was just a natural outcome of.

Jeff: Yeah, that's really what was on my heart because a lot of times, especially nowadays, you hear Christians say "Wow this is going to really divide the church," But again to me, homosexuality is just a tip of the iceberg. I think the issue goes back decades and is really just the result of veering away from the authority of God's Word in a lot of ways over the years. At the core, the real issue is a rejection of God and suppressing His truth in favor of being wise in our own eyes which Romans 1:18-21 talks about. If I could sum it up in two words - it's pride and rebellion...against God.

Mike: You mentioned that you felt like homosexuality was just the tip of the iceberg. Expand on that a little bit.

Jeff: We see in those scriptures in Roman, that yes homosexuality is there at the forefront, but there's a whole litany of things listed in that scripture. In Romans chapter one it says they're filled with "all unrighteousness," "sexual immorality," "wickedness," "covetousness," "full of envy." I mean the list goes on and on and on - "unloving," "unforgiving," "disobedient to parents" - so we see there are a whole plethora of sins that are really the result of denying and suppressing the truth of God, and homosexuality is just one of them in that list.

Mike: As you're talking, it reminds me of a little book that Steve Gallagher wrote, "How America Lost Her Innocence," and he looks back at what you're describing going all the way back into the 60's as we begin to see the slide of what was happening not only in the culture, but in the church.

Jeff: Yeah, absolutely. Really, it's society obviously wholeheartedly embracing worldly philosophies. But the problem is that the church is following right behind, and as the church further embraces the philosophies and wisdom of this world it's like a crack in the dam, and then a flood of evil is released.

Mike: You reflected in your article that as you're looking at the church today that it looks very much like the church Paul foresaw in the end times.

Jeff: Yeah, Paul described in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 a church that would "not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." Just the fact that the church would even debate whether the Bible teaches that homosexuality is sinful bears out this truth.

Mike: As you look at the condition of the church and what's happening in the culture, it almost seems like things are becoming more black and white. The gray seems to be disappearing, like a division is occurring.

Jeff: Yeah and I believe it needs to happen, it's going to get clearer and clearer, and this is really what it comes down to: there's going to be those on one side who have conformed their lives to the Gospel Jesus proclaimed and on the other side, those who have created a gospel that conforms to their lives and desires.

Mike: You mentioned that the separation is coming and I was surprised at first when I read that you will welcome it. Talk a little bit about why you feel that way.

Jeff: I believe it needs to happen for the true church to be seen. I think for too many years the world has looked at the church and they don't see much of a difference. I believe that God has a remnant and I believe that God is going to have a pure and spotless bride and we're going to be a true light on the hill, so the separation really does have to happen. I do welcome it because I know out of that the true church will arise and will really be able to have an impact and reach souls.

Mike: What do you think is most important for us as individual believers to do as it relates to our own lives and attitudes about what we see going on in the church and in the culture?

Jeff: The key here is returning to the Word of God and getting into the Word of God for ourselves. I also really believe it's time to pray like never before, to really be seeking the Lord, looking to Him, and looking to the Holy Spirit to conform our lives and to produce God's will and purpose in our lives. I believe those that are hearing God calling the remnant, and will listen, will return to the Lord; and God will be glorified and the true church will come forth out of that.

Mike: Yeah, amen. That's a good word, Jeff. Thanks so much for talking to us as we see the church at a crossroads today.

Jeff: Thanks, Mike.